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Introduction

Britain and Northern Ireland currently have no official COVID-19 restrictions in place, however there is still guidance on what to do should you catch coronavirus while here on holiday. For more information, please check the official government websites using the links below.

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Northern Ireland

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What are the current UK travel rules?

By Becky Lucas , Abigail Malbon and Rick Jordan

What are the current UK travel rules, as England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are constantly changing restrictions? Here's everything we know.

Can I travel on holiday right now?

Yes. Monday 17 May 2021 was the first big date in the holiday calendar following many Covid lockdowns – the date from which travel abroad became possible again. Destinations were graded according to the government's traffic light system – green , amber and red – with each colour indicating different rules around testing and quarantining upon return to the UK. 

However, on Monday 4 October 2021, the travel rules changed once more. Green and amber list countries are now ‘non-red’ countries, with the red list of countries that should not be visited left in place. While there are currently no countries on it, quarantine hotels were phased out from the end of March 2022, making it likely that the red list itself has also been quietly dropped. 

On Friday 18 March, all Covid travel rules within the UK were removed – which means that travellers do not need to test, quarantine or even fill in a passenger locator form , regardless of their vaccination status, upon return to the country. 

As for holidays within England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland – they are permitted. On Monday 19 July 2021, all group-size limits were removed in England, and residents are now free to travel domestically with as many people as they wish. Scotland, Wales and Ireland followed shortly after. 

Can I go on a cruise from the UK?

On Monday 2 August 2021, international cruises started again from England. However, you should ask your cruise operator and your travel insurance provider about medical facilities on board the ship and what happens if there's an outbreak on board. To confirm whether international cruises are permitted from ports in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, it is wise to check the relevant government website. 

Can I travel on holiday from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?

Overseas travel from all three nations is allowed. Travel in and out of Scotland is possible, and all holiday accommodation, including hotels, is open. Travel within Wales and self-catered stays have been allowed since Saturday 27 March 2021 and travel in and out of its borders has been allowed since Monday 12 April; on Monday 17 May, all hotels and holiday accommodation were permitted to open. Northern Ireland relaxed more measures on Monday 24 May, when hotels and other holiday accommodation were allowed to reopen.

Can I travel from England to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

Travel between England, Wales and Scotland is allowed, with overnight stays in self-catering and self-contained accommodation permitted, and hotels and B&Bs. 

For the full list of countries and proof of vaccine accepted, see the government's website . 

Should I book a holiday in the UK?

Staycations are surging right now. British holidays have been selling like hot teacakes: we advise that anyone booking a UK holiday is clear about its refund conditions. See our insider recommendations on the UK holidays to book , other UK destinations to visit , our favourite UK hotels and UK Airbnbs , and the best places for camping in the UK .

What were the key dates for lockdown easing in England?

Note: dates varied in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These are the correct dates for changes in England

Stage 1: March

All schools reopened on Monday 8 March, and outdoor socialising allowed one-on-one between members of two household bubbles. Since Monday 29 March, outdoor gatherings have been permitted for up to six people or two households (even if more than six – with a support bubble counting as one household). Outdoor sports have restarted. 'Stay Local' replaced 'Stay at Home' messaging. What did 'Stay Local' mean in England? The government website suggests it means remaining within your local area – village, town or city neighbourhood – as much as possible. However, day trips were no longer illegal from Monday 29 March , though still not advised.

Stage 2: Monday 12 April

Self-catering holiday lets, including Airbnb, reopened for individuals or families, along with campsites with no shared facilities. Staycation holidays are possible, and the 'Stay Local' guideline ended, so trips longer than just day trips are no longer advised against. Non-essential shops reopened, along with hairdressers, gyms and outdoor hospitality, including pub and outdoor restaurant gardens and terraces . Zoos and amusement parks have also reopened.

Stage 3: Monday 17 May

Hotels and B&Bs can now reopen and overseas holidays allowed to a few destinations, according to the traffic-light system. Most outdoor restrictions have been lifted ( so the first, smaller festivals can take place ), and limited mixing indoors will be allowed – so two households or six people from different households can meet for dinner and drinks inside, while 30 can meet outside. Pubs and restaurants, cinemas , theatres, museums , exhibitions and sports stadiums all to reopen, and some large events (up to 4,000 people) allowed. Children are no longer be required to wear masks at school – and we're finally able to hug other people again.

Stage 4: Monday 19 July

All large events and live performances back on the calendar with no cap on size, nightclubs allowed to reopen, and all remaining social contact restrictions lifted – including the limit on six people or two households at gatherings and in restaurants and hotels. Although this was originally forecast to change from Monday 21 June, the government announced that the date was to be pushed back by four weeks to Monday 19 July, as the highly transmissible Delta variant was pushing up infection numbers. From 21 June, however, there was no longer a cap on the number of guests allowed at weddings. The UK then officially moved to Stage 4 from Monday 19 July. On the same day, Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated at a press conference that vaccine passports, available through the NHS app, would be necessary as a condition of entry to clubs and other venues with large crowds from September, in order to indicate whether a person has received both Covid-19 vaccine doses, tested negative for the virus or has natural immunity from it after having previously contracted. However, this policy has now been scrapped in England. 

What about the rest of the UK?

Wales, Scotland   and Northern Ireland are following the same rules as England – although Scotland continued the legal requirement for face masks in some settings for longer, until 18 April. England and Wales were first to end the free testing system for asymptomatic Covid sufferers, from 1 April 2022, while Scotland did so from 18 April and Northern Ireland is to follow on 22 April. Only Scotland will continue to provide free PCR tests for anyone with symptoms until the end of April, while England, Wales and Northern Ireland (the latter after 22 April) now provide them only for people with symptoms from certain, more vulnerable groups (which Scotland shall also do, from May). \

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United Kingdom, including England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland Traveler View

Travel health notices, vaccines and medicines, non-vaccine-preventable diseases, stay healthy and safe.

• Packing List

After Your Trip

There are no notices currently in effect for United Kingdom, including England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

⇧ Top

Check the vaccines and medicines list and visit your doctor at least a month before your trip to get vaccines or medicines you may need. If you or your doctor need help finding a location that provides certain vaccines or medicines, visit the Find a Clinic page.

Routine vaccines

Recommendations.

Make sure you are up-to-date on all routine vaccines before every trip. Some of these vaccines include

• Chickenpox (Varicella)
• Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
• Flu (influenza)
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)

Immunization schedules

All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. Please see  Your COVID-19 Vaccination  for more information. 

COVID-19 vaccine

Hepatitis A

Consider hepatitis A vaccination for most travelers. It is recommended for travelers who will be doing higher risk activities, such as visiting smaller cities, villages, or rural areas where a traveler might get infected through food or water. It is recommended for travelers who plan on eating street food.

Hepatitis A - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Hep A

Hepatitis B

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers younger than 60 years old traveling to the United Kingdom. Unvaccinated travelers 60 years and older may get vaccinated before traveling to the United Kingdom.

Hepatitis B - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Hep B

Cases of measles are on the rise worldwide. Travelers are at risk of measles if they have not been fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to departure, or have not had measles in the past, and travel internationally to areas where measles is spreading.

All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, including an early dose for infants 6–11 months, according to  CDC’s measles vaccination recommendations for international travel .

Measles (Rubeola) - CDC Yellow Book

the United Kingdom is free of dog rabies. However, rabies may still be present in wildlife species, particularly bats. CDC recommends rabies vaccination before travel only for people working directly with wildlife. These people may include veterinarians, animal handlers, field biologists, or laboratory workers working with specimens from mammalian species.

Rabies - CDC Yellow Book

Tick-borne Encephalitis

Avoid bug bites

Learn more about tick-borne encephalitis at your destination .

Tick-borne Encephalitis - CDC Yellow Book

Avoid contaminated water

Leptospirosis

How most people get sick (most common modes of transmission)

• Touching urine or other body fluids from an animal infected with leptospirosis
• Swimming or wading in urine-contaminated fresh water, or contact with urine-contaminated mud
• Drinking water or eating food contaminated with animal urine
• Avoid contaminated water and soil

Clinical Guidance

Airborne & droplet.

• Breathing in air or accidentally eating food contaminated with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents
• Bite from an infected rodent
• Less commonly, being around someone sick with hantavirus (only occurs with Andes virus)
• Avoid rodents and areas where they live
• Avoid sick people

Tuberculosis (TB)

• Breathe in TB bacteria that is in the air from an infected and contagious person coughing, speaking, or singing.

Learn actions you can take to stay healthy and safe on your trip. Vaccines cannot protect you from many diseases in the United Kingdom, so your behaviors are important.

Eat and drink safely

Food and water standards around the world vary based on the destination. Standards may also differ within a country and risk may change depending on activity type (e.g., hiking versus business trip). You can learn more about safe food and drink choices when traveling by accessing the resources below.

• Choose Safe Food and Drinks When Traveling
• Water Treatment Options When Hiking, Camping or Traveling
• Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene | Healthy Water
• Avoid Contaminated Water During Travel

You can also visit the  Department of State Country Information Pages  for additional information about food and water safety.

Prevent bug bites

Although the United Kingdom is an industrialized country, bug bites here can still spread diseases. Just as you would in the United States, try to avoid bug bites while spending time outside or in wooded areas.

What can I do to prevent bug bites?

• Cover exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats.
• Use an appropriate insect repellent (see below).
• Consider using permethrin-treated clothing and gear if spending a lot of time outside. Do not use permethrin directly on skin.

What type of insect repellent should I use?

• FOR PROTECTION AGAINST TICKS AND MOSQUITOES: Use a repellent that contains 20% or more DEET for protection that lasts up to several hours.
• Picaridin (also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel, and icaridin)
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD)
• 2-undecanone
• Always use insect repellent as directed.

What should I do if I am bitten by bugs?

• Avoid scratching bug bites, and apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to reduce the itching.
• Check your entire body for ticks after outdoor activity. Be sure to remove ticks properly.

What can I do to avoid bed bugs?

Although bed bugs do not carry disease, they are an annoyance. See our information page about avoiding bug bites for some easy tips to avoid them. For more information on bed bugs, see Bed Bugs .

For more detailed information on avoiding bug bites, see Avoid Bug Bites .

Stay safe outdoors

If your travel plans in the United Kingdom include outdoor activities, take these steps to stay safe and healthy during your trip:

• Stay alert to changing weather conditions and adjust your plans if conditions become unsafe.
• Prepare for activities by wearing the right clothes and packing protective items, such as bug spray, sunscreen, and a basic first aid kit.
• Consider learning basic first aid and CPR before travel. Bring a travel health kit with items appropriate for your activities.
• If you are outside for many hours in the heat, eat salty snacks and drink water to stay hydrated and replace salt lost through sweating.
• Protect yourself from UV radiation : use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, wear protective clothing, and seek shade during the hottest time of day (10 a.m.–4 p.m.).
• Be especially careful during summer months and at high elevation. Because sunlight reflects off snow, sand, and water, sun exposure may be increased during activities like skiing, swimming, and sailing.
• Very cold temperatures can be dangerous. Dress in layers and cover heads, hands, and feet properly if you are visiting a cold location.

Stay safe around water

• Swim only in designated swimming areas. Obey lifeguards and warning flags on beaches.
• Do not dive into shallow water.
• Avoid swallowing water when swimming. Untreated water can carry germs that make you sick.
• Practice safe boating—follow all boating safety laws, do not drink alcohol if you are driving a boat, and always wear a life jacket.

Keep away from animals

Most animals avoid people, but they may attack if they feel threatened, are protecting their young or territory, or if they are injured or ill. Animal bites and scratches can lead to serious diseases such as rabies.

Follow these tips to protect yourself:

• Do not touch or feed any animals you do not know.
• Do not allow animals to lick open wounds, and do not get animal saliva in your eyes or mouth.
• Avoid rodents and their urine and feces.
• Traveling pets should be supervised closely and not allowed to come in contact with local animals.
• If you wake in a room with a bat, seek medical care immediately.  Bat bites may be hard to see.

All animals can pose a threat, but be extra careful around dogs, bats, monkeys, sea animals such as jellyfish, and snakes. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal, immediately:

• Wash the wound with soap and clean water.
• Go to a doctor right away.
• Tell your doctor about your injury when you get back to the United States.

Reduce your exposure to germs

Follow these tips to avoid getting sick or spreading illness to others while traveling:

• Wash your hands often, especially before eating.
• If soap and water aren’t available, clean hands with hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% alcohol).
• Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. If you need to touch your face, make sure your hands are clean.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
• Try to avoid contact with people who are sick.
• If you are sick, stay home or in your hotel room, unless you need medical care.

Avoid sharing body fluids

Diseases can be spread through body fluids, such as saliva, blood, vomit, and semen.

Protect yourself:

• Use latex condoms correctly.
• Do not inject drugs.
• Limit alcohol consumption. People take more risks when intoxicated.
• Do not share needles or any devices that can break the skin. That includes needles for tattoos, piercings, and acupuncture.
• If you receive medical or dental care, make sure the equipment is disinfected or sanitized.

Know how to get medical care while traveling

Plan for how you will get health care during your trip, should the need arise:

• Carry a list of local doctors and hospitals at your destination.
• Review your health insurance plan to determine what medical services it would cover during your trip. Consider purchasing travel health and medical evacuation insurance for things your regular insurance will not cover.
• Carry a card that identifies, in the local language, your blood type, chronic conditions or serious allergies, and the generic names of any medicines you take.
• Bring copies of your prescriptions for medicine and for eye glasses and contact lenses.
• Some prescription drugs may be illegal in other countries. Call the United Kingdom’s embassy to verify that all of your prescription(s) are legal to bring with you.
• Bring all the medicines (including over-the-counter medicines) you think you might need during your trip, including extra in case of travel delays. Ask your doctor to help you get prescriptions filled early if you need to.

Many foreign hospitals and clinics are accredited by the Joint Commission International. A list of accredited facilities is available at their website ( www.jointcommissioninternational.org ).

Select safe transportation

Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of healthy US citizens in foreign countries.

Be smart when you are traveling on foot.

• Use sidewalks and marked crosswalks.
• Pay attention to the traffic around you, especially in crowded areas.
• Remember, people on foot do not always have the right of way in other countries.

Riding/Driving

Choose a safe vehicle.

• Choose official taxis or public transportation, such as trains and buses.
• Make sure there are seatbelts.
• Avoid overcrowded, overloaded, top-heavy buses and minivans.
• Avoid riding on motorcycles or motorbikes, especially motorbike taxis. (Many crashes are caused by inexperienced motorbike drivers.)
• Choose newer vehicles—they may have more safety features, such as airbags, and be more reliable.
• Choose larger vehicles, which may provide more protection in crashes.

Think about the driver.

• Do not drive after drinking alcohol or ride with someone who has been drinking.
• Consider hiring a licensed, trained driver familiar with the area.
• Arrange payment before departing.

Follow basic safety tips.

• Wear a seatbelt at all times.
• Sit in the back seat of cars and taxis.
• When on motorbikes or bicycles, always wear a helmet. (Bring a helmet from home, if needed.)
• Do not use a cell phone or text while driving (illegal in many countries).
• Travel during daylight hours only, especially in rural areas.
• If you choose to drive a vehicle in the United Kingdom, learn the local traffic laws and have the proper paperwork.
• Get any driving permits and insurance you may need. Get an International Driving Permit (IDP). Carry the IDP and a US-issued driver's license at all times.
• Check with your auto insurance policy's international coverage, and get more coverage if needed. Make sure you have liability insurance.
• Avoid using local, unscheduled aircraft.
• If possible, fly on larger planes (more than 30 seats); larger airplanes are more likely to have regular safety inspections.
• Try to schedule flights during daylight hours and in good weather.

Helpful Resources

Road Safety Overseas (Information from the US Department of State): Includes tips on driving in other countries, International Driving Permits, auto insurance, and other resources.

The Association for International Road Travel has country-specific Road Travel Reports available for most countries for a minimal fee.

Traffic flows on the left side of the road in the United Kingdom.

• Always pay close attention to the flow of traffic, especially when crossing the street.
• LOOK RIGHT for approaching traffic.

Maintain personal security

Use the same common sense traveling overseas that you would at home, and always stay alert and aware of your surroundings.

Before you leave

• Research your destination(s), including local laws, customs, and culture.
• Monitor travel advisories and alerts and read travel tips from the US Department of State.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) .
• Leave a copy of your itinerary, contact information, credit cards, and passport with someone at home.
• Pack as light as possible, and leave at home any item you could not replace.

While at your destination(s)

• Carry contact information for the nearest US embassy or consulate .
• Carry a photocopy of your passport and entry stamp; leave the actual passport securely in your hotel.
• Follow all local laws and social customs.
• Do not wear expensive clothing or jewelry.
• Always keep hotel doors locked, and store valuables in secure areas.
• If possible, choose hotel rooms between the 2nd and 6th floors.

Healthy Travel Packing List

Use the Healthy Travel Packing List for United Kingdom for a list of health-related items to consider packing for your trip. Talk to your doctor about which items are most important for you.

Why does CDC recommend packing these health-related items?

It’s best to be prepared to prevent and treat common illnesses and injuries. Some supplies and medicines may be difficult to find at your destination, may have different names, or may have different ingredients than what you normally use.

If you are not feeling well after your trip, you may need to see a doctor. If you need help finding a travel medicine specialist, see Find a Clinic . Be sure to tell your doctor about your travel, including where you went and what you did on your trip. Also tell your doctor if you were bitten or scratched by an animal while traveling.

For more information on what to do if you are sick after your trip, see Getting Sick after Travel .

Map Disclaimer - The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on maps do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement are generally marked.

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Find a walk-in COVID-19 vaccination site

Use this service to find a walk-in COVID-19 vaccination site at a pharmacy. If you’re eligible, you can get a COVID-19 vaccination without an appointment.

Find out about getting a COVID-19 vaccine, including if you are eligible.

You can use this service if you live in England. You do not need to be registered with a GP.

More sites will be offering walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations soon. You can also book or manage a COVID-19 vaccination appointment online.

The NHS will contact you if your NHS record suggests you may be eligible for a further COVID-19 vaccination.

How it works

The service will find pharmacies offering walk-in COVID-19 vaccination services today.

You can check opening times and which age groups can use a site before visiting. Not all sites are open to children or young people under 16.

Some pharmacies can only offer COVID-19 vaccination at certain times, so you may be asked to wait or come back later.

At your vaccination appointment, we’ll need to confirm you still have a weakened immune system before you can have your COVID-19 vaccination.

To confirm the health condition or treatment which causes your weakened immune system, it will help if you can do one of these things:

• bring a repeat prescription or medicine box
• bring an NHS letter confirming your condition
• show your health record or any prescription you’ve had in the NHS app

If your health status has changed and you no longer have a weakened immune system, you do not need to have the spring vaccine.

Other walk-in locations

You may have other walk-in vaccination locations near you. If your area does not appear here, find a walk-in vaccination site at a pharmacy.

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Page last reviewed: 15 April 2024 Next review due: 18 January 2027

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Pupils in England ‘facing worst exam results in decades’ after Covid closures

GCSE results in key subjects to steadily worsen until 2030, predicts research that blames failure to tackle impact of schools lockdown

Children in England could face the worst exam results in decades and a lifetime of lower earnings, according to research that blames failures to tackle the academic and social legacies of school closures during Covid.

The study funded by the Nuffield Foundation predicts that national GCSE results in key subjects will steadily worsen until 2030, when it expects fewer than 40% of pupils to get good grades in maths and English.

Lee Elliot Major, a professor of social mobility at Exeter University and one of the report’s co-authors, said: “Without a raft of equalising policies, the damaging legacy from Covid school closures will be felt by generations of pupils well into the next decade.”

The report recommends “low-cost” policies to improve results, such as recruiting undergraduates to work as tutors, and rebalancing the school year by shortening the summer break and spreading holidays more evenly throughout the year.

Pepe Di’Iasio, a former headteacher and the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the research was “a devastating warning” of the risk of educational decline.

“The current government failed to rise to the challenge during and after the pandemic because its investment in education recovery fell woefully short of what was needed. The same mistake must not be made again, and ministers both now and in the future must invest in schools, colleges and teachers,” Di’Iasio said.

The work by academics at Exeter, Strathclyde and the London School of Economics is the first to gauge how the Covid-era school closures hindered children’s social and emotional skills as well as their skills in reading, writing and maths.

Last year, 45% of students taking GCSEs achieved grade 5s in English and maths, regarded as a “good pass” by the Department for Education (DfE). But the report expects the rate to continue falling below 40% by 2030, when children who were aged five at the time of school closures sit GCSEs.

The group concluded that the learning losses “will significantly damage the education prospects of five-year-olds at the time of Covid school closures”, and widen the existing “disadvantage gap” in exam results between disadvantaged children and their peers. It also calculates that the lower GCSE results could lead to lower lifetime earnings of £31bn for the generation.

“These results represent a double whammy to the educational progress for successive Covid generations: they are on course for the biggest overall decline in basic GCSE achievement for at least two decades, and a significant widening of the socio-economic gap in GCSE prospects,” the report states.

A spokesperson for the DfE said: “We have made almost £5bn available since 2020 for education recovery initiatives, which have supported millions of pupils in need of extra support.

“We are also supporting disadvantaged pupils through the pupil premium, which is rising to almost £2.9bn in 2024-25, the highest in cash terms since this funding began.

“This is on top of our ongoing £10m behaviour hubs programme and £9.5m for up to 7,800 schools and colleges to train a senior mental health lead.”

The DfE’s schools budget is just under £60bn this year. The pupil premium was introduced in 2011 as an annual payment to schools for each pupil eligible for free school meals, currently £1,480 for primary pupils and £1,050 for secondaries.

Esme Lillywhite, a researcher at the University of Strathclyde, said: “Compared with most other nations, England’s pandemic response was heavily focused on academic catch-up with less emphasis on socio-emotional skills, extracurricular support, and wellbeing.

“Much more could be gained by closer international collaboration to learn what approaches have been promising elsewhere.”

• Coronavirus
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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Child seriously hurt as number of dead rises after airstrike in Odesa seaside park

The Ukrainian authorities say the number of victims from a Russian airstrike in Odesa has risen, with many more injured. Listen to a Daily podcast on whether the UK should send troops to Ukraine as you scroll.

Tuesday 30 April 2024 11:19, UK

• Number of victims from Odesa attack rises to five, with child badly hurt
• Watch: Massive building in flames after attack
• Explained : Why is Chasiv Yar the next target for Russia?
• Your questions answered: Will Ukraine launch another spring offensive?
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Live events elsewhere mean we are leaving our coverage of the Ukraine war there for the day. 

The main development this morning was the rise in the number of people killed in a Russian strike on Odesa yesterday to five.

Read more details in our posts below - and we'll be back with rolling updates and analysis of the war soon.

At least two people have been killed in another Russian strike, this time targeting the northeastern city of Kharkiv, local officials say.

Six more have been wounded in the attack, which Governor Oleh Synehubov says was carried out using guided bombs, according to preliminary information.

The attack damaged a residential building in one of the city districts, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. 

Emergency services are on the scene, local officials say.

Yesterday, a woman was reportedly injured after a "series of explosions" hit the city, according to the mayor.

Russia denies targeting civilians in the war that is now in its third year.

As we reported yesterday, a Russian missile attack targeted an educational institution in a popular seafront park in the Black Sea port of Odesa.

The number of victims from that airstrike has risen, with five people now reported to have died. 

Local officials had initially said four were killed.

Regional governor Oleh Kiper said in addition to those killed in the attack, one man died after suffering a stroke attributed to the strike.

Another 32 are said to be injured, eight of whom seriously - including a four-year-old child.

A pregnant woman and another child are also among the injured.

"Monsters, beasts, savages, scum, I don't know what else to say," Odesa Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said.

"People are going for a walk by the sea and they are shooting and killing."

Video footage, which could not be immediately verified, showed people receiving treatment on the street alongside pools of blood. 

One photo showed officials examining part of a missile.

Ukrainian navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk said the strike was conducted by an Iskander-M ballistic missile with a cluster warhead.

Odesa has been a frequent target of Russian missile and drone attacks, particular port infrastructure.

Hello and welcome back to our coverage of the war in Ukraine. 

Yesterday a Russian attack on the port city of Odesa killed at least four people, while dramatic footage showed a massive education facility ablaze in the aftermath. 

Here are the other key events to get you up to speed on from the past 24 hours:

• More than 30 Ukrainian conscripts have died while trying to cross the border illegally to avoid mobilisation, a Ukrainian official said;
• The Duchess of Edinburgh met with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ukraine, in what marks the first visit to the country by a member of the Royal Family since the war begin;
• Debris recovered from a missile that landed in the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv on 2 January was North Korean, according to the United Nations;
• NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg visited Kyiv for a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy;
• In a joint news conference, Mr Stoltenberg said NATO allies had "not delivered" on their military aid pledges to Ukraine in recent months, saying that "serious delays" had led to negative consequences on the battlefield;
• Mr Zelenskyy also called for the delivery of Western weapons to Kyiv's troops to be sped up;
• Russia's defence ministry claimed its forces have taken control of the village of Semenivka in the eastern Donetsk region;
• European Council president Charles Michel said the Russian invasion of Ukraine has given "new impetus" to calls for the EU to be enlarged beyond the 27 members;
• Germany's public prosecutor's office said it was assessing whether a political motive was behind the killing of two Ukrainian soldiers in Murnau.

As we reported a short time ago, the Duchess of Edinburgh has met with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ukraine, in what marks the first visit to the country by a member of the Royal Family since the war begin.

Sophie met the Ukrainian president and first lady Olena Zelenska and delivered a message to them on behalf of the King, Buckingham Palace said.

You can watch footage from her trip here...

Throughout the day, we've been reporting on a Russian attack on the city of Odesa in Ukraine, which has killed at least four people. 

These images show a burning educational institution building, which was struck. 

Airline Finnair has said it is pausing flights to Tartu in eastern Estonia for the next month, due to GPS disturbances in the area.

"Finnair will suspend its daily flights to Tartu, Estonia, from 29 April to 31 May, so that an alternative approach solution that does not require a GPS signal can be put in place at Tartu Airport," the Finnish airline said in a statement.

Finnair last week had to divert two flights back to Helsinki after GPS interference prevented the approach to Tartu airport, although a spokesperson said the company did not now where the interference came from.

However, Tallinn seems certain as where the issues are originating. 

"It is a fact that Russia affects GPS devices in our region’s airspace," Estonia's foreign minister said via a spokesperson.

Margus Tsahkna added that Estonia will raise the issue of GPS interference with its neighbours, and intends to discuss it with the EU and NATO. 

GPS jamming and spoofing have grown worse in eastern Europe, the Black Sea and the Middle East, all areas close to conflict zones, according to industry group OpsGroup. 

More than 30 Ukrainian conscripts have died while trying to cross the border illegally to avoid mobilisation, a Ukrainian official has said.

Andriy Demchenko, spokesman for the State Border Guard Service,  told Ukrinform that some men are prepared to pay "large sums" of money to groups promising to smuggle them across the border safely.

"Then they are faced with the fact that the route runs along a mountain river," he said.

Many conscripts have lost their lives after realising they didn't have the strength to swim the river, Mr Demchenko added.

"In total, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, about 30 people have died trying to cross the border illegally," he said.

Such attempts occur "every day", he said.

For context: Ukraine has been under martial law since the Russian invasion in February 2022.

It lets draft officers call up men of a certain age to fight on the front line.

In April, Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed off a new law lowering the age of draft-eligible men from 27 to 25, in a bid to boost troop numbers in his depleted ranks.

The Duchess of Edinburgh has met with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ukraine, in what marks the first visit to the country by a member of the Royal Family since the war begin.

Her visit is aimed at demonstrating "solidarity with the women, men and children impacted by the war and in a continuation of her work to champion survivors of conflict-related sexual violence", the palace said.

Three women and a man have died after a Russian attack on Odesa.

A further 28 people have been injured, including two children aged five and 16. A pregnant woman has also been hurt.

This video shows the aftermath of the attack. 

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Breaking news, astrazeneca cops to rare, deadly side effect of covid jab as lawsuits mount.

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AstraZeneca has admitted that its COVID-19 vaccine could cause a rare but deadly blood-clotting condition, potentially exposing the UK pharmaceutical giant to tens of millions in lawsuits brought by loved ones of those injured or killed as a result of the jab, according to court documents.

Lawyers representing “dozens” of class-action claimants say some of their clients’ cases could be worth as much as $25 million, calling the Cambridge-headquartered pharma firm’s vaccine “a defective product,” according to the Daily Mail .

AstraZeneca, which is contesting the claims, acknowledged in a February legal document that its vaccine can “in very rare cases” cause a condition called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, or TTS.

TTS can cause patients to suffer blood clots as well as a low blood platelet count, which in some cases have seriously harmed or even killed recipients of the company’s vaccine.

The potential complication was listed as a possible side effect from the time of the vaccine’s release, but AstraZeneca’s acknowledgment in February marks the first time the pharmaceutical titan has admitted it in court, according to the Telegraph .

So far, 51 cases have been filed in London’s High Court, estimated to be worth around $125 million total, the outlet writes.

Due to a bargain AstraZeneca struck with the UK government at the height of the pandemic to indemnify the drugmaker against potential lawsuits, taxpayers will be on the hook for any payouts resulting from the claims.

One of the claimants who filed suit is Jamie Scott, an IT engineer and father of two left with a permanent brain injury resulting from a blood clot after he received the vaccine in April 2021.

His wife, Kate, told the outlet she’s hopeful the company’s admission will accelerate the outcome of their case.

“We need an apology, fair compensation for our family and other families who have been affected. We have the truth on our side, and we are not going to give up.”

In a statement, AstraZeneca expressed sympathy for anyone who was allegedly harmed by the vaccine, but defended it as a net positive and pointed out that complications are exceedingly rare.

“Patient safety is our highest priority, and regulatory authorities have clear and stringent standards to ensure the safe use of all medicines, including vaccines,” the statement reads in part.

“From the body of evidence in clinical trials and real-world data, the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine has continuously been shown to have an acceptable safety profile and regulators around the world consistently state that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks of extremely rare potential side effects.”

The AstraZeneca COVID vaccine was first approved for emergency use in December, 2020. Of the 50 million doses administered in the UK during the crisis, 81 people have died from blood clots potentially linked to the jab, according to health data compiled by UK pharmaceutical watchdog the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

The odds of a recipient developing TTS as a result of the vaccine are calculated as somewhere in the range of 1 in 50,000, the outlet writes.

In all, the AstraZeneca vaccine is credited with saving as many as 6 million lives globally during the pandemic, according to the University of Oxford , which partnered with the company in developing the jab.

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